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my character kind of sucks

Sorry, I'm basing this off (my not very reliable) memory, as I'm not at home currently, but my character is basically as follows:

neutral evil gnome fighter/illusionist .. currently around level 9, proficient in two-handed swords, flails, crossbows, two-handed weapon style

equipment: flail that poisons (forget name) + large shield; sword of chaos; heavy crossbow; traveler's robe; bracer's of defense A.C. 6

spells: mostly mirror image, haste, tiny fire meteors (whatever it's called), protection from normal weapons, minor globe of invulnerability, fireball, rebuff spells etc.

I'm currently investigating the Temple Ruins.. finishing up side-quests before I see Bodhi (to give you an idea where I am).

my party consists of Viconia, Edwin, Korgan, Jan and myself/aka Scruffy. I generally focus on using Viconia and Korgan and my character in melee, with Edwin providing backup spellcasting (Jan's a little redundant). because of the armor restrictions, Scruffy isn't really robust enough for melee, but he's kind of a boring spellcaster and as an illusionist lacks the decent buffs usually afforded to a cleric. I suppose I could outfit him with a better crossbow, bolts and spells and forget the hand-to-hand combat .. I'm just frustrated because this happened in my last BG1 playthrough as a Mage/Thief .. she always felt half-evolved

Comments

  • ICNICN Member Posts: 61
    Whereas a normal Mage will generally focus more on support role, a Fighter/Mage's specialty imo is being able to go toe to toe with the toughest enemies without becoming a visual aid for anatomy students.

    To this end, I'd recommend ignoring Protection from Normal Weapons, since any enemy serious enough to be a threat is almost certainly going to be using magical weapons. I'd trade the Minor Globe of Invulnerability for either a Stoneskin if you're going against a tough melee opponent or Improved Invisibility if you're up against a spellcaster (While Improved Invisibility is up no one can use single target spells on you). As an Illusionist you won't be able to cast Spirit Armor, but with two other Mages in the party you can delegate to someone else easily enough. Other than all that, focus on protection spells (fire, magic damage, magical weapons etc.), and Scruffy will be waltzing with dragons in no time.
    diggerb
  • CorvinoCorvino Member Posts: 2,269
    Fighter/Illusionists can be very good frontliners. Using Mirror image and Stoneskin overcomes a lot of squishyness. He's never going to match Edwin for caster level and number of spells, but he can buff himself to being unhittable and be very effective in Melee. Getting the Bracers of defense AC 3 from the Adventurers Mart would be a good next step. Don't forget that you can cast and then attack, so you can still unleash short casting-time spells at melee range.

    As for weapon styles, you've gone in 2 different directions. You could either concentrate on your 2-handers and use Lilarcor from the sewers for the moment and then the Soul Reaver in the Underdark, or start putting points in 2-weapon style and dual-wield flails. There's a very nice flail from Joluv that adds 20% physical damage resist, which makes for a good offhand, and everyone loves the Flail of Ages.
  • doctordogdoctordog Member Posts: 44
    hmm, some good tips here guys..

    ICN: where's the best place to obtain spells in the first city so I can pick up element buffs?

    Corvino: thanks, I'll pick up the Bracers asap. Yeah, I started out focusing on 2-handed swords, but then once he started getting his ass kicked, I brought in a shield to boost his AC. And I made a mistake in my original post I think-- I didn't mean he's proficient in dual-wielding, I meant he's proficient in 2-handed weapons.
  • CorvinoCorvino Member Posts: 2,269
    The Adventurer's Mart in Waukeen's Promenade has a lot of spells and gear. Some is available from Ribald, the shopkeeper, but more spells can be had from Deidre towards the back of the shop.

    There is also a scroll vendor on one of the tiers in the north of the Promenade. Between him and Deidre you should get hold of most low and mid-level spells.

    AC has a role for your Fighter/Illusionist, but Stoneskin and Mirror image should mean that even with an average AC he avoids a lot of hits. That said, +AC rings and helmets are useful. Mixing in Improved invisibility (which adds +4 AC against attacks IIRC) and a fireshield will make him even tougher. Spells will do enough for defense - he should be using a 2-hander or dual wielding to maximise his offensive damage.
  • MadhaxMadhax Member Posts: 1,416
    Important question: What melee stats did you give him? Not sure how experienced you are with DnD rules, but bonuses derived from strength increase drastically at 18+. If Scruffy doesn't already have an 18 strength score, getting him a Giant Strength belt or similar would make a huge difference in his melee potential. Enemies aren't going to be hitting him if they're reduced to bloody giblets bouncing about the screen.
  • doctordogdoctordog Member Posts: 44
    Madhax, I'm not very experienced with DnD rules at all. FWIW, his strength is currently 16.
  • MadhaxMadhax Member Posts: 1,416
    Well, I'm not sure how interested you are in powergaming, but there's a ton of room for improvement then. 16 strength only nets you +1 to damage over, say, 10 strength. But if you went to 19 strength, such as through any one of the several magical belts that have such an effect, you would gain +3 to hit, +6 more damage, and the ability to carry 350 more pounds of equipment. That would make a big difference in the melee, especially since 2-handed weapon style improves your critical chances, which would multiply your bonus damage.

    Similarly, Dexterity and Constitution bonuses only kick in at 15. You get +1 AC for each point of dexterity between 15 and 18, and +1 hp/level for each point of constitution between 15 and 19 (only on your fighter half, but still). Both stats continue to scale up to 25, but at a slower rate past that point. But at 14 and under, the stats do next to nothing.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    Corvino said:

    The Adventurer's Mart in Waukeen's Promenade has a lot of spells and gear. Some is available from Ribald, the shopkeeper, but more spells can be had from Deidre towards the back of the shop.

    There is also a scroll vendor on one of the tiers in the north of the Promenade. Between him and Deidre you should get hold of most low and mid-level spells.

    AC has a role for your Fighter/Illusionist, but Stoneskin and Mirror image should mean that even with an average AC he avoids a lot of hits. That said, +AC rings and helmets are useful. Mixing in Improved invisibility (which adds +4 AC against attacks IIRC) and a fireshield will make him even tougher. Spells will do enough for defense - he should be using a 2-hander or dual wielding to maximise his offensive damage.

    There is also Lady Yuth in the Adventurer's Mart.
    Corvino
  • CorvinoCorvino Member Posts: 2,269
    Thanks @elminster, I never remember her name.
  • lunarlunar Member Posts: 3,460
    edited September 2013
    Just to add to the post above, Protection from magic weapons work if you have Spell immunity:abjuration up. It only protects against dispel/remove magic and the dreaded imprisonment (ignores magic resistance, no save) spell. Breach will bypass spell immunity:abjuration in vanilla (unmodded) game, without affecting it.
    JuliusBorisov
  • doctordogdoctordog Member Posts: 44
    thank you hugorune, that post was absolutely awesome. i've implemented a lot of the changes suggested here and my character is playing a lot better now
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    Part of the problem is that your proficiency points are kinda all over the place. I'd drop either Flails, or drop both Two-Handed Sword and Two-Handed Style. Both proficiencies have awesome iterations, like the Flail of Ages or the Soul Reaver, so you can't go wrong, just focus on ONE of them.
  • ogrebogreb Member Posts: 98
    I play Gnome Fighter / Ill.

    Go for high strength, constitution, wisdom and dexterity .

    Forget spells first few levels and just wear armor.

    I got to -7 without armor later on. Thaco -9

    Go mace, scimitar and Sword and Shield style.

    You can get all but one Saving Throw below 0 ( and up to -6 ) before game end.

    Buffs , Stoneskin...start the battle with a few AOE spells and then run in to the middle of battle and blow stuff up !

    My Gnome just steamrolled BG

    You can make him an archer, but I like melee.

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